London Mayor Sadiq Khan has joined Labour MPs in expressing delight over the Republican Party's performance in the US midterm elections, where Democrats secured control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate. The results, seen as a significant setback for Donald Trump, have prompted celebratory remarks from UK political figures.
Khan posted on social media that the Democratic victory was "a true rejection of the damaging and divisive politics of Donald Trump," highlighting the party's focus on "hope, unity and supporting families with the cost of living."
Other Labour and Liberal Democrat MPs also voiced their satisfaction. Health minister James Frith described the outcome as an "enormous night for American democracy and for the Democrats" and a "seismic shift in domestic politics." However, Frith emphasized that the change in US political power would not alter the UK government's strong and unwavering relationship with the US.
In response to the losses, Donald Trump posted on his Truth Social platform, "I wasn't on the Ballot and if I was, we would have won IN A LANDSLIDE!" He also acknowledged that the results had surprised him, stating, "I thought they'd do better, we had tremendous rallies." He congratulated the Democrats for their hard work, but a "Veto" baseball cap image he shared suggested a willingness to block future legislation.
The midterm results saw significant shifts, including Democratic victories in deep red states like Texas and South Carolina, and a Democratic Senate win in Kansas for the first time since 1932. New Democrat Abdul El-Sayed won a Senate seat in Michigan, becoming the first Muslim elected to the Senate.
Democrats characterized the outcome as a "blue tsunami" or "Bluenami," attributing the voters' decision to dissatisfaction with the cost of living and Trump's political influence. The losses place Trump in "lame duck" territory for his final two years in office, potentially opening the door for investigations and a third impeachment attempt.